Loco Ladies team setting a good costume example and planning on a win in 2018!

2017 Overall Winners: Team Ontario

Many thanks to everyone who participated in this first online auction effort by this group. All donors, advertisers, buyers and volunteers are very important to the auction's success.

Anyone can register to bid. There are many advantages for bidders & donating businesses.

WACANID BICYCLE RIDE 2016: passes through the spectacular scenery of the International Selkirk Loop, through Washington, Canada and Idaho (thus the name WACANID) Sept 12-16, 2016, 370 miles/595 kilometers

Proceeds benefit the programs of the 8 regional hosting Rotary Clubs and we thank all participants for making this funding possible.

Rossland Rotary is excited and proud to participate in 2016 for the first time with 8 regional Rotary clubs in the WaCanId international bicycle ride September 12-16. Rotarians welcomed about 60 cyclists to our region from all over the US and Canada. Thanks to Tourism Rossland , local businesses and Rosslanders for giving a Rossland-friendly welcome to these riders arriving here September 13! For further information and to sign up for the ride next year, visit: www.wacanid.org

WACANID bicycle ride on the Selkirk Loop

2 STUDENTS SPONSORED TO ATTEND 2016 "ADVENTURES IN CITIZENSHIP (OTTAWA) AND "ADVENTURES IN TECHNOLOGY"

Thanks to these sponsors, the student pays no airfare, registration or lodging for attending either of these events.

Adventures in Citizenship (in Ottawa)

At Adventures in Citizenship, about 200 young Canadians come together to gain a better understanding of our country. Through meetings with political leaders, senior officials and others, they learn a great deal about the workings of our democratic institutions. Through meeting one another and having discussions among themselves, they learn to appreciate the diversity of Canada and the privileges and responsibilities of Canadian citizenship.

At Adventures in Technology, about 30 students from Western Canada participate in an intense exploration of advanced technology, research, development and applications. Participants will be able to open the doors to an exciting array of some of Canada's finest corporations and research facilities including the University of Saskatchewan, Areva Resources Ltd, Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan and the Canadian Light Source Synchrotron to name just a few.

MIKE PISTAK AND THE ROTARY CLUB OF ROSSLAND CELEBRATE 50 AND 65 YEARS OF SERVICE IN 2016

Mike Pistak was asked to join the Rotary Club of Rossland just over 50 years ago. The Club was founded in 1951, 65 years ago. At that time there were about 35 members in the Club and it was quite the privilege to be a member of the Club. Of course Rossland was 1/2 again the size it is today and Teck was 5,000 employees versus today's 1,500. The needs and funding options in Rossland were very different then, so the projects that Rotarians worked on in the earlier days of the club were different than today's Club projects, but the reason we are all part of the Club is exactly the same: "it offers us the opportunity for fellowship and to contribute just a little bit to the community and to our country.", says Mike. Read more...

Mike Pistak, celebrating 50 years of service in 2016

YOUTH EXCHANGE 2015-2016

Hannah Klemmensen, 2015-2016 Outbound YE Student (to Brazil):

"Looking back on the last 6 months of my life is crazy. In such a short period of time I have experienced, learned, changed, gained, lost and grown so much. The person I was before arriving in Brasil is so different from who I am now, and I’m sure the person I will be 6 months from now, when I return, will be different as well. It is still just sinking in that all this is real, that this isn’t a dream but in fact my life. The amazing life of a rotary exchange student!"Read more...

Carla Herbst, 2015-2016 Inbound YE Student (from Germany):

Carla wrote a few words to share last fall when she first arrived, including "Back home I like to swim, go horseback riding, ski, play the piano and meet my friends. I am looking forward to all the snow in Rossland because in Homburg we don't have much snow. You have such a beautiful area, all the mountains, trees and lakes. And the people here in Rossland are so friendly and helpful. So far I really enjoy my time and my experiences in Canada. I am so excited that I have already seen two bears!"Read more... and we will post an update before she leaves us this summer.

Casey Bowman, 2000 Inbound YE Student (from Australia):

"As I sit reading over Mike’s amazing Rotary journey sipping on a fine cup of Tim Horton’s Hot Chocolate, thanks to a dear friend who recently returned from Canada, it has prompted me to reflect on my own journey with Rotary..... I was fortunate to be selected as an exchange student with District 9600 here in Australia. My dream was to travel and I had my sights set on Canada! After undergoing the rigorous selection process I was finally assigned my Club in District 5080...I was bound for a little town in British Colombia called Rossland. I was over the moon happy to be heading to my dreamland Canada but was unsure where my journey would take me as Rossland was a small speck on the map. The only information the internet offered back then was all about ‘Red Mountain Ski Resort’. Snow! YAY-I’d always wanted to see snow. Being a country girl from a small peanut farming town, Kingaroy –Queensland, it was exciting to be venturing into a white wonderland and leaving the dry, hot summer behind me. The year 2000 was set to be MY year! I was an Aussie Rotary Exchange Student and proud of it!"Read more...

Casey Bowman, inbound exchange student in 2000, with her family in Australia, 2015

Hannah Klemmensen and her Brazilian Family, 2015-2016

Brazilian Youth Exchange Students, 2015-2016

TEGUCIGALPA MARKET CHILDREN PROGRAM HAS ROOTS IN THE KOOTENAYS

Rossland Rotary and the community have sponsored these students to attend school since 2008. Today, the Club sponsors 5 students and one of our students recently graduated from high school. In total, 17 students from grade 3 to 13 are sponsored by Rosslanders. The lives of these youth and their families are significantly changed from this invaluable program.

The Club believes this is one of our most important international programs and encourage your participation also. See more information and donate here: www.helphonduras.ca or contact a Rossland Rotarian.

Ron and Elaine Ross of Castlegar Rotary have done a remarkable job of funding and managing the program through the H.E.L.P. Honduras Society and its partner agreement with Alternativas Y Oportunidades (AYO) , a Honduran NGO. Since its start in 1990 this work expanded to include Rotarians in Kelowna and Castlegar, BC.

In Tegucigalpa, Honduras, the poorest of the poor families are working in the public markets and in the local dump. The children of the mostly single women working in the markets were not attending school. As these children became teenagers, some of the children drifted into gangs and petty theft or, at best, took over their mother’s stall in the market. The Rotarians of Tegucigalpa decided to break the circle of poverty by educating the children under the Tegucigalpa Market Children Program. Read more...

The expenses of secondary school are beyond the means of many Kenyan families, but with education and confidence the bright young people that KEEF supports tend to become leaders in their communities.
Without financial assistance, most of the students selected for KEEF scholarships would not continue to attend school.

In 2016, Rossland Rotary contributed to the project to improve school toilets and washbasins and these are now functional. The students are now able to use toilets and wash their hands close to the classrooms. This is especially helpful for those in wheelchairs.

2016 KEEF washroom improvement project

PANHANDLING FOR POLIO in downtown Rossland during Re-kindle for Christmas and Winter Carnival, 2015

During the next four years, the Government of Canada will contribute two dollars for every dollar raised by Rotary Foundation Canada in support of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative’s Endgame Strategy, to a maximum contribution of $12 million. The funds will be provided to UNICEF to support the goal of eradicating polio worldwide by 2018.

Through 2018, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is matching 2-to-1 every dollar that Rotary commits for polio, up to $35 million a year. Local Rotarians are thrilled with this multiplier effect for every dollar that they raise to contribute to the Polio Fund of The Rotary Foundation Canada.

“We cannot wind down our efforts now. We need to continue immunizing until the last country is certified polio-free, and thereafter,” says Dr. Tunji Funsho, chair of Rotary’s Nigeria PolioPlus Committee. “As long as the virus remains anywhere in the world, it is only a plane ride away.”

The Rossland Rotary club and our community achieved “Shelterbox Hero Status” by helping send seven Shelterboxes to Nepal this year. We would like to thank all donors and special thanks to JL Crowe students, staff and Rotary Interact for their contribution of $3098 and Rossland Summit School fundraised $2240 towards the seven boxes. In the past we have also sent ShelterBoxes to Haiti, Pakistan, East Africa and the Philippines (Tsunami and Earthquake).

ShelterBox is an official project partner of Rotary International. This past year ShelterBox Canada sought aid to support victims of the Nepal earthquake. With the support of rotary clubs throughout Canada and many other donors, over 1.4 million dollars was raised. The Rotary Club of Nelson Daybreak sponsored a ShelterBox as did the Rotary Club of Nelson, with assistance from Interactors attending the district conference. Read more...

FAT BIKE Raffle! Draw Date on December 14, 2015

"Thank you to Rossland Rotary and for all that you do for our community!" says enthusiastic fat bike raffle winner Christine Finke. "It's a family bike, and Aaron is over the moon about the win because he will use it in the Fat Tire Enduro at Winter Carnival". Christine, Ian, Aaron and Sam Finke are all very happy about winning the fat tire bike supplied by Revolution Cycles and the Club.

Rossland Rotary thanks all of Rossland and each of the donors for supporting the fall Fat Bike Raffle and draw on December 14. Through fundraising events such as this, the Club can then support many local and international programs (see www.rosslandrotary.org). This support cannot continue without the generous support and help from the community.

Rossland Rotary appreciates your support and congratulates the following additional winners:

Back Country Pack & Accessories from Powderhound: Alistair Lornie
A Long Board from Ross Vegas: David Ferraro
Blundstone Shoes from A Red Pair: Terry Miller
Ferraro's Gift Certificate: Allison Brown

Fat Tire Bike Raffle Winners Christine Finke and son Aaron.

SKI BUM SNOWBALL on December 12, 2015

Saturday, December 12, Rossland Miners Hall 8:30pm

Celebrate Red Resort's opening day at the Ski Bum Snowball with the Foggy Goggle Boys and the Rossland Rotary Club! Wear your best ski bum outfit, and test those ski legs in an evening of great dancing music!! All funds raised contribute to Rotary's fantastic programs!
Tickets $15 at Powderhound or Alpine Grind

AN EVENING WITH VALDY on March 14, 2015

Thanks to all attendeees - it was a sellout!Saturday, March 14, 2015, Rossland Miner's Hall 7:00 pm Doors, 8pm ConcertTickets $25/person - $30 at the door and sold at at Powderhound (Rossland) , Mallard's Source for Sports (Castlegar) on Feb 28, 2015A Rotary Club of Rossland benefit

Juno award winner Valdy entertained us at the Rossland Miners Hall on Saturday, March 14, 2015. Part of the fabric of Canadian pop and folk music for over 30 years, Valdy has four gold albums and Juno awards for Folk Singer of the Year and Folk Entertainer of the Year.
This is an evening not to be missed:"Valdy remains one of the country's purest and most credible storytellers." Toronto Star. "One of the best evenings of entertainment Confederation Centre has ever seen....a man of formidable talents." Charlottetown Evening Patriot.

A Rossland Rotary event, visit www.valdy.com to learn more. Proceeds of the event will go to Rossland Rotary community and youth projects. Thank you to the Rossland News for sponsoring ad space to publicize the event.

Tickets are $25/person - $30 at the door, available at Powderhound Sports, Rossland, and Mallard's Source for Sports, Castlegar by Feb 28.
Doors open at 7pm and the concert starts at 8 pm.

SLOPES FOR HOPE team "Rotary Wheels on Skis"

Rossland Rotary Club members continue to support the Slopes for Hope Canadian Cancer Society fundraising event, as team members, sponsorships of teams and as the team "Rotary Wheels on Skis". Slopes for Hope was designed by BC residents and has seen hundreds of people hit the slopes to support the Canadian Cancer Society at many winter sports venues in BC. Since it began, Slopes for Hope has raised over $160,000 to help eradicate cancer and support Canadians living with cancer, while providing an enjoyable and memorable experience for hundreds of participants.